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Information on HIV & AIDS Orphans in Botswana

Botswana is a country in sub-Saharan Africa, a region of the world that has been very strongly affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. HIV/AIDS in Botswana has dramatically decreased life expectancy and many children have been orphaned as a result.

  1. Percentage

    • It is estimated that in Botswana, one out of five children aged seventeen or younger has been orphaned as the result of the loss of one or more parent to HIV-disease. 76 percent of orphans in Botswana are orphaned due to HIV/AIDS.

    Numbers

    • By 2007, about 95,000 children in Botswana had had at least one parent die as the result of HIV infection.

    Education

    • A program in Botswana helps registered orphans go to school by covering the cost of school uniforms, which are cost-prohibitive for many orphans and those who may be supporting them.

    Food

    • Registered orphans in Botswana can also receive a food basket once a month. Unfortunately, aid agencies report that some orphans are exploited for governmental benefits.

    Work

    • Children orphaned by AIDS are often forced to work to support themselves or their families. Some community organizations in Botswana try to supplement governmental services so that children do not have to work and can stay in school.

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